EXCLUSIVE: Newcomer Daisy Ridley may have hit the motherlode of film franchises when the then-virtual unknown was cast in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but the 23-year-old Brit actress is in the running for another icon: Lara Croft. Deadline understands that the fresh-faced Ridley is one of a number of actresses being considered for the Tomb Raider reboot that Warner Bros and MGM are partnering on to produce and release, with GK Films’ Graham King producing.

While conversations have taken place, this is still very early and there have been no official negotiations or offer yet, with the producers keeping their options wide open at this stage. This is one of THE plum gigs out there for a young actress. The role was famously played by Angelina Jolie at her most kick-ass and pneumatic. Based on the long-running video game franchise, Tomb Raider follows the English archaeologist Lara Croft through a series of adventures heavily inspired by Indiana Jones (and, to a lesser extent, Allan Quartermaine).

The latest adaptation, which has been in development for several years, received a jolt of adrenaline when the video game series was rebooted by game developer Square Enix with 2013’s Tomb Raider, which depicted Croft’s first adventure as an archaeology student, and follow-up Rise Of The Tomb Raider. That younger take on the character’s origin and path to derring-do are believed to have given the film’s producers some creative guidance.

Cassidy Lange is overseeing for MGM, with Drew Crevello doing so for Warners. Denis O’Sullivan of GK Films is overseeing the production.

Ridley, currently shooting Star Wars: Episode VIII, is repped by CAA. Her only confirmed post-Star Wars gig to date is her coming aboard The Eagle Huntress documentary as an exec producer.

62 Comments

Blee • on Mar 10, 2016 8:36 am

Love Daisy Ridley. But go find a new Daisy Ridley. Put some diversity in your diversity for pete’s sake. Everyone’s ranting about how there are no parts for females and when there are all those roles go to the same actresses. Lara Croft is the selling point here so get someone new to play her.

The Carter • on Mar 10, 2016 5:55 pm

what? she only has like two credits to her name. she is new lol

Anonymous • on Mar 10, 2016 8:00 pm

Agreed….hmmmm here’s a thought, how about even some RACIAL diversity….

Fernando Oliveira • on Mar 11, 2016 2:49 pm

Yeah but lara croft is white!

KT Chong • on Mar 12, 2016 5:19 pm

As an Asian whose people are severely underrepresented in Hollywood, I would love to see more racial diversity in movies, BUT not an Asian or Hispanic Lara Croft. Lara Croft should stay white. (Even though Blacks are a minority in the US, they are already OVER-REPRESENTED in Hollywood roles when compared to their proportion in the US population.)

While I agree Hollywood needs more diversity, Lara Croft is a rich daughter of a long British lineage, making her Asian or African would make no sense.

Anonymous • on Mar 13, 2016 3:22 pm

If you are so worried about people who are over-represented based upon their US numbers/percentages then you should be against the casting of whites too since white characters are way over represented than their actual numbers and always have been. Whites make up over 90% of all characters and around 95% of all leads. The US isn’t that white.

Maria287 • on Mar 11, 2016 3:06 pm

I agree, there’s so many young actresses that deserve the chance. It would be nice to see another individual plucked from obscurity just the way Daisy was. The right Lara is out there, they’ve just got to find her. Would love to see some open casting calls so even those without agency representation have the opportunity.

wanessabatista18@gmail.com • on Mar 10, 2016 8:46 am

no, please.

Roque • on Mar 10, 2016 9:51 am

+1

Jills • on Mar 10, 2016 10:43 am

Seriously, JJ wasn’t wrong when he told her she was playing to ridged… no personality whatsoever…

I don’t get why they wouldn’t go with the more affordable, and continuity providing, not to mention awesome, Camilla Luddington, who’d done Lara in the last 2 recent Tomb Raider games not only as voice but as a motion capture performance.

In the 2013 “reboot” game, Lara Croft is a young naive upstart and university student, who is either 18, 19 or in very early 20s. The movie should cast a fresh face who is in her early 20s. Camilla Luddington (who voice Lara Croft in the video game reboot) is 32. 32 is too old to be a young naive university student in an origin movie that could be the first of a long series. Moreover, Camilla Luddington does not look like the new Lara Croft even though she provided the voice for the character.

Lars Chr. Gamborg • on Mar 13, 2016 1:45 am

I watched some docu about producing the 2013 Tomb Raider, and I have to admit that casting Camilla Luddington for the movie role of Lara Croft is not a bad choice. I could easily go for that :)
She have the physics, the attitude, the training, she knows arching (if i recall right) and is a decent actress. The voice will be a familiar element for us who know the game. It would certainly not be a wrong choice!

Anonymous • on Apr 1, 2016 10:48 pm

Agreed, shes so fine 10/10

irwinator1992 • on Mar 10, 2016 10:01 am

Yes, please!! Ridley has plenty of grit, intelligence and strength to go along with her infinite charisma. Lets hope the screenplay is brilliant.

Lara Q • on Mar 10, 2016 10:18 am

It`s not that I think she`s a bad choice, I just doubt, given her Star wars schedule, that she`d be able to do both.

Anonymous • on Mar 10, 2016 10:24 am

yes! please

Anonymous • on Mar 10, 2016 10:37 am

Instead of starring in a knock off, put her in the next Indiana Jones movie as Indy’s aspiring archeologist daughter in law.

Momotaro • on Mar 10, 2016 12:11 pm

I think more buy John Boyega as Indy replacement than Daisy Ridley. Dude has charisma for days!

Might as well cast a black male. You know, since you’re not adhering to Lara’s main trait. Just go full PC in this day and age. No one will raise an eyebrow.

Anonymous • on Mar 10, 2016 6:56 pm

Ha! And what would Lara’s “main trait” be? Hmmmmm. LOL

pëllumb • on Mar 11, 2016 1:42 am

How edgy. -.-

Adele • on Mar 10, 2016 11:55 am

vanessa hudgens, adelaide kane

Mel • on Mar 11, 2016 12:28 am

Hell NO!

Dan • on Mar 10, 2016 11:57 am

Considering her Star Wars commitments, Daisy might not have the time on her hands (unlikely they will kill off her SW character).

A few actresses that might have time on their hands include;
Lily James (Downton Abbey’s finished and aside from Baby Driver, her only big gig is Romeo & Juliet on stage)
Mia Wasikowska (Unless Disney attempts to milk Johnny Depp’s Alice saga into a trilogy, Mia has arguably the most time on her hands of this lot)
Eleanor Tomlinson (If Poldark has become the new Downton Abbey, she might have too many Poldark commitments)
Bella Heathcote (Her only big gig is one of the 50 Shades sequels)
Britt Robertson (With the Divergent series ending next year Hollywood may want Britt to the next big face of Y/A franchises potentially derailing her chance to be Lara)
Carey Mulligan
Ellie Fanning
Holliday Grainger
Michelle Rodriguez (Depends on how long the Fast and Furious series goes on for as even the Fast and Furious saga will eventually have a finishing line)

Tim • on Mar 10, 2016 12:43 pm

They need to consider G. ‘Precious’ Sidibe for that role – so much for Hollywood inclusion!

Anonymous • on Mar 10, 2016 12:52 pm

Oh, my God, YES!!!! I can’t think of a more perfect actress to play Lara.

OhPlease • on Mar 10, 2016 12:56 pm

LOL, the headline should read “Producers dream unrealistically of getting someone awesome to star in a crap re-boot of a crap franchise no one cares about.”

Anonymous • on Mar 10, 2016 12:58 pm

Alycia please

Willy 1984 • on Mar 10, 2016 1:41 pm

ehh pathetic, she will be known as a REMAKE ACTRESS. First in disney’s star wars remake now a lara croft remake. Don’t give me that reboot sh*t, it is a damn remake, both of the them.

Lars Chr. Gamborg • on Mar 10, 2016 3:43 pm

You can say what you want… but Star Wars Ep 7 is technically not a remake, even that you want it to be. Different characters, different story with some similar elements… but movies do THAT all the time!

Talyrius • on Mar 10, 2016 2:52 pm

Her face and nationality work for the role, but her body doesn’t.

jackson • on Mar 10, 2016 3:51 pm

Pretty much, yeah. Horrible casting but this is WB, who cast a stick figure as Wonder Woman.

Lars Chr. Gamborg • on Mar 10, 2016 3:40 pm

Daisy Ridley is a fine and talented actress, but after playing the 2013 game I dont really see her fit into the character of Lara Croft. And I agree… try find some other or new talented actress.
Some have suggested Gemma Arteton, which in my opinion is a closer match to the two latest games.

Anonymous • on Mar 10, 2016 4:45 pm

Yeah. That’s what I was thinking.

Anonymous • on Mar 10, 2016 6:00 pm

Yes!!!!!please☆😯😯😯😯😯😯😨

JJ • on Mar 10, 2016 8:40 pm

Lara Croft is such a superficial character with no depth. Please, Daisy, avoid this non-starter.

Anonymous • on Mar 10, 2016 9:22 pm

Have you guys even played the new ones? Because it’s a 180 from the Angelina-Lara that you know of.

Ridley would be perfect for this new young Lara. If Ford can be both Solo and Indy, I don’t see why Ridley can’t be both Rey and Lara.